Perfect Illusion: Scars Saga 2

Numb

Chapter 18

Numb

Nearly six weeks to the day since Christmas dinner had passed, and I still felt numb from the fall out. I was doing better; I had promised Jonathan I would try. I was now having every dinner in the Great Hall again and most lunches. Breakfast was difficult to make. I was taking Poppy's tonic every night and it knocked me out so I usually missed breakfast.

Remus and I were still avoiding each other. It wasn't as bad as before. We didn't go out of our way to avoid each other like we had, but we certainly weren't spending all our spare time together either.

On Thursday I woke up at my usual time of 10:30. I showered and dressed before going into my lounge area. An apple and the Daily Prophet were waiting for me on the table. I nearly choked on my first bite as I read the headline that scrolled across the top of the paper.

BLACK TO RECEIVE DEMENTOR'S KISS

I quickly read through the accompanying article, growing more nauseated with every word. The article explained that the Minister of Magic had given the Dementors permission to give Sirius The Kiss on sight! This was ridiculous and it had to be stopped. So I tried reaching out to the one person who might understand. I glanced at my watch. Class would be letting out soon. I hurried along to his classroom. I arrived moments after the bell rang, so I let myself in.

"Mum?"

"Have you read this?" I asked, ignoring Jonathan's question and slapping the paper on the desk a little more forcefully that I had intended.

Remus picked it up carefully.

"Mum, what are you doing here?"

"Get to class, Jonathan," I said without looking at him.

"But it's lunch; I don't have class."

"Then get to lunch."

"The last time I left you alone with him you locked yourself away for four weeks. So, if it's alright with you, I think I'll stay." Jonathan crossed his arms over his chest in defiance.

"It's not alright with me, Jonathan," I said turning towards him at last. "Please, I need you give us a minute. We'll be fine. Won't we, Remus?" I turned back to Remus.

He looked up from the paper, his eyebrows raised. "Yes. Listen to your mother, Jonathan."

Surprisingly that worked. Jonathan huffed his disapproval, but he still left. I closed the door behind him and placed a silencing charm on it so he couldn't stand outside and eavesdrop.

"We can't let them get away with this," I said, turning back to look at Remus. "We have to do something. We have to stop them."

"How?"

"I don't know. But we can't let them get away with this atrocity...this murder!"

"Murder? You mean like the murders he committed?"

"He..." I slapped my mouth shut, but Remus knew what I was about to say.

"You don't think he did it."